Social Work Program

Formative Performance Evaluation Procedures: Student Success Plan

Overview: The SWP utilizes a formative performance evaluation (Student Success Plan) to assess students’ performance throughout the curriculum, and encourage them either toward successful completion of the program, or the selection of another major. Students are assessed academically to determine whether they have mastered the knowledge necessary for entry-level social work practice. Additionally, students are monitored non-academically to determine whether they can function effectively and professionally in a field placement, and ultimately as autonomous licensed professionals. Therefore, the SWP equally emphasizes both academic and non-academic performance standards during all phases of the evaluation process to determine students’ professional potential.

Academic Assessment Student academic performance is evaluated solely on the basis of academic standards, including any requirements noted in the catalog, course syllabus, and University student handbook. Students have protection against prejudiced or capricious evaluation, and shall not be evaluated on the basis of opinions or conduct in matters unrelated to academic standards. Students have the right to review their corrected examinations or other required assignments used by the faculty in evaluating the student's academic performance.

Term papers, essays, projects, and similar property including property in which the student has intellectual property rights to shall be returned to a student upon request, within a reasonable timeframe, when no longer needed for evaluation purposes, unless the student grants written permission for them to be retained. Academic assessment is done in each social work and non-social work course using the traditional letter grading scheme. Each student must maintain a 2.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale in all social work courses, and a cumulative GPA of 2.0 for graduation.

Non-Academic Assessment In addition to an ongoing academic assessment, each student is formatively assessed non-academically both in and outside the classroom (e.g., advising, informal faculty-student(s) interaction within the SWP, complaints lodged by others, etc.). The following conduct standards are used when considering each student’s suitability for professional social work, and continuation in the social work program. These standards are divided into two genre: (1) those the university uses across campus; and (2) those the SWK uses in addition to general university standards that are specific to licensed professional social work practice.

MSU’s non-academic university performance violations:

Academic Integrity/Plagiarism

Complicity in Prohibited Acts

Computer Misuse

Disruption of Operations of the University

Disruptive Behavior

Disruptive Demonstration

False Complaint

Falsification of Records/Representation

Fire/Arson

Firearms/Fireworks

Gambling

Harassment and Sexual Harassment

Hazing

Interfering with Judicial Procedures

Laws, Ordinances, and University Policies

Official Compliance

Physical Harm and Threat

Psychological/Emotional Abuse

Sexual Violence

Stalking/Surveillance

Theft, Vandalism, Defacement and Damage to Property

Unauthorized Use of University Property

Unlawful Use and Possession of Alcohol

Unlawful Use and Possession of Drugs

Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the laws of the federal government and the state of North Dakota, Board of Higher Education policies, Minot city ordinances, and university regulations. Students may be disciplined by the University for violating these standards of conduct even though the students may be punished by federal, state or city authorities for the same act. However, institutional disciplinary action shall not be used merely to duplicate penalties by civil authorities.

Inability to Master the Skills Necessary for Acceptable Social Work Practice

Inability to Relate to Clientele

Inability to Relate to Faculty

Inability to Relate to Other Students

Sexual Involvement with a Client

All students are held equally to the above academic and non-academic performance standards, and each student’s continuance in the MSU Social Work Program is determined by her or his suitability for professional social work practice as judged by social work faculty, and as evidenced by acceptable performance while in the formative evaluation process.

When a concern is noted by an advisor or instructor, the course of action will be as follows:

The student will receive a Formative Performance Evaluation Student Deficiency Notice via mail listing the concern(s). A copy of this notice will also be given to the student’s advisor;

The student then has 10 days to meet with his or her advisor to discuss the concern. This meeting will include the faculty with the concern, and other faculty as deemed appropriate;

The faculty with the concern and the student then develop a written Student Success Plan to address the concern. This document will be developed within 10 days by the faculty member, and will prescribe the remediation time frame, and university resources available (e.g., , Counseling Center, Student Support Services, and other university or community resources deemed appropriate);

The student will sign the plan noting receipt of the form.

A copy of the plan is given to the student and to the student’s advisor to be placed in the student’s file;

In extreme instances (e.g., where the problem(s) is (are) declared severe, the SWK may opt to bypass the remediation plan and process the student out of the Social Work program;

In the event that the student does not follow the process of remediation, faculty may terminate the student from the program; and

The SWK utilizes the university appeals policy and students have the right to appeal per university student handbook.

*Thanks to MSUM social work program faculty for their contributions to the FPE process.